The origins of the Bicycle Museum of America come from the Schwinn Bicycle collection. In 1997, Jim Dicke II of Crown Equipment Corporation, a manufacturer of electric lift trucks, purchased the collection of bicycles and memorabilia in Chicago and moved the collection to New Bremen, Ohio. The Bicycle Museum is fascinating; it has unique and one of a kind bicycles, with a history of some of them. It also hosts some famous bikes, such as those of Robin Williams and Pee Wee Herman ~ really!
We had a great time there; the short film showed a group of actors riding the crazy looking bicycles that have one huge wheel in the front, and a small one in back. Even had a foot powered car that we were able to try (which we got videos of ~ they can be seen at the end of this blog).
Ohio is home to the Wright Brothers Bicycle Shop in Dayton, where the first plans for flight were born. In 1892, the Davis Sewing Machine Company produced the famous Dayton Bicycle. Ohio has also been the home to five prominent bicycle manufacturers: Huffy, which is still around today; Colson, Shelby, Roadmaster and Murray.
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| 1816 Draisine |
Karl Drais, a German land surveyor and inventor, created the Draisine in response to a very unique environmental catastrophe. The eruption of the Indonesian Mount Tambora in 1816 spewed enough ash into the atmosphere to cause widespread global climate shifts, deemed "the year with no summer." In Germany, this resulted in a grain crisis and in turn, a shortage of feed for livestock. Without his trusty steed, Drais began brainstorming an alternative mode of transportation. Thus was born the Draisine. To provide propulsion, one sits on the saddle and one pushes along the road with the feet. His first public ride occurred on June 12, 1817, a round trip of 8.6 miles and was completed in a little more than an hour.
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| 1839 Bicycles |
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| 1885 Kangaroo |
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| 1881 American Star |
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| 1887 American Safety |
"The Pennyfarthing" ~~ The British used the term "pennyfarthing" to describe the highwheel. The penny is the larger coin and the farthing is the smaller. When placed beside each other, the coins resemble the size ratios of the ordinary's wheels.
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| 1880 Otto Dicycle |
This next set of bicycles are Women's bicycles from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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| 1885 Coventry Rotary |
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| 1888 Columbia Tricycle |
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| 1880 English Highwheel |
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| 1890 Iver Johnson Rover |
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| 1895 Crypto Bantam |
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| Skirt Lifters |
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| 1910 Ladies Dursley Pedersen |
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| 1898 Orient Chainless |
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1897 Carroll Gear to Gear
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| 1896 Gormully & Jeffrey Men's Model 20 |
This truly unique turn-of-the-century bicycle features a hickory cane, referred to by the manufacturer as the "Feather Spring" carrying the saddle. For an additional fee of $6.00, one could special order this custom feature, designed to increase rider suspension and in turn minimize the "disagreeable vibratory effect on the rider." This is just one of the many brilliant tricks played by manufacturers of this period to make the bicycle ride more comfortable and enjoyable for the rider, and thus, make their bicycles more marketable than competitors.  |
| 1894 Lu-Mi-Num |
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| 1888 Hard Tire Safety |
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| Frank Cady Blanchard, Age 16 (1873-1950) |
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| Springfield Roadster |
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| Rollfast Blue Devil |
Every month the Museum picks a "Bicycle of the Month." This month it is the Rollfast Blue Devil. Bicycles mirroring the design styles of popular automobiles and motorcycles are a recurring trend. In the late 1960s, the muscle bike was all the rage, producing such bicycles as the Raleigh Chopper and Schwinn Sting-Ray. Another fad at the time was to substitute a steering wheel in place of handlebars. This was to mirror the simple style steering wheel used in drag racing.
The popular culture around modified motorcycles and cars, specifically choppers and muscle cars, inspired children and young people to make modifications to their bicycles as well. These modifications were picked up by the industry to produced commercial versions, showing how the public can influence manufacturers. The Schwinn Sting-Ray was inspired by stories of kids in Southern California chopping their bikes. This also shows the trends of the time, from chopper bikes to BMX.
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| 1869 Monocycle |
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| 1890 Three Wheel Highwheel |
Tis sweet to know there is an eye will mark our coming, and look brighter when we come.
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| 1891 Elliott Hickory Model B |
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| 1878 Unzicker Tricycle |
This is a very rare example of a tricycle designed and built specifically for young girls, as illustrated in this picture.
This tricycle features a side-saddle seat and is propelled by a rowing action drive-train, activated by pushing and pulling the handlebars forward and then back -- a very unique and elegant way to go!
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| 1896 Quadricycle |
This was one of Henry Ford's inventions, and would soon revolutionize American life. A forerunner to the Model T, the quadricycle was built on four bicycle tires and was driven by a chain. With the launch of the Model T in 1908, and with the rapid expansion of the automotive industry in America, automobiles became an affordable means of transportation for most American families. This new-found technology was quickly adopted by the majority of Americans, and the popularity of the bicycle quickly waned.
To counter these new challenges, the bicycle industry changed their core demographic, targeting younger Americans, while also completely redesigning the bicycle. Instead of the utilitarian simplicity that was common in the late 1800s and the first two decades of the 20th century, bicycles of the 1930s featured a more "streamlined" look, very emblematic of a motorcycle, and featured mock "tanks," bright colors, and a plethora of chrome.
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| 1880s Boardwalk Tricycle |
Tricycles have been in development since the time of the first bicycle, but only in small numbers as they were mostly used for those with physical injuries. Unlike their two-wheel counterparts, the tricycle was a more adaptable machine, which could be creatively configured to accommodate a variety of riding styles and abilities. For many years, tricycles were even predicted to become the main form of personal transportation over the bicycle.
Tricycles required less balance, allowed the women of the time to wear skirts, and offered innovations like hand propulsion for those that could not pedal. Made for both utility and pleasure, could also be rented at boardwalks for rides around the pier.
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| 1897 Companion Tandem |
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| Woven Carbon Fiber; 2009 Delta 7 Arantix Mountain Bike |
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| 1897 Rex |
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| Original Civil War Flag 1862 |
This flag was carried by Company C of Auglaize County Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War by Wm. Schulenberg. During 1862 the regiment participated in many battles. Upon returning to Tennessee, they marched throughout the South (Georgia and the Carolinas) with General Sherman during his infamous "March to the Sea." They then marched to Washington D.C. and were mustered out on August 7, 1865 at Little Rock, Arkansas. The 37th Ohio Infantry Regiment lost 9 officers and 102 enlisted men, and another 95 lost through disease. This flag was found at an area residence. It was restored and brought to the Bicycle Museum to be shared with the public in honor of all volunteers who served our country.
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Mid-1920s English Arcade
Bicycle Racing Game |
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| Handcrafted Wooden Bicycle |
Inspired by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, this bicycle is void of straight lines and instead is composed of very natural curves. This handcrafted bicycle was constructed using Baltic birch, walnut, and upcycled bicycle parts and took around three months to build.
As I mentioned above, they also have the original bicycles that belonged to Robin Williams and Pee Wee Herman.
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| Robin Williams |
Robin Williams did not hide his struggles with substance abuse in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The death of casual friend John Belushi was a wake-up call for Williams, who gravitated toward cycling to work through depression and maintaining his sobriety. According to the owner of the bicycle shop that Williams frequented, Williams stated, "I am lucky to have bikes in my life."
Many of us can relate to the freedom experienced when riding a bicycle ~ childhood nostalgia, the wind in your face, and the thrill of independent travel. Williams referred to cycling as "mobile meditation" ~ the perfect escape from the demands of celebrity. Never missing an opportunity to ride, Williams was often spotted atop a bicycle while working on film sets. When asked why he liked riding a bicycle so much, Williams said it was the closest you can get to flying.
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| Pee Wee Herman's Bicycle |
While struggling to generate a new idea for a film, Paul Reubens, more commonly known as Pee Wee Herman, was given a beautiful, fully restored 1947 Schwinn bicycle as a gift. Immediately, he was inspired and alas, the iconic 1985 classic film Pee Wee's Big Adventure was born. Don Rauf, author of Schwinn: The Best Present Ever writes: "According to the production designer on the film, Pedal Pusher Bike Shop in Newport Beach, California, constructed about 13 of the souped-up Pee Wee Herman red bicycles. The film crew damaged some doing stunts, and a few others were stolen ~ which is ironic because the plot revolves around the bike being snatched."
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| 1920s Walking Legs Clown Unicycle |
The military also used bicycles as transportation, and the museum had a few military bicycles on display.There is quite a history behind this 1944 military bicycle. According to the owner of the bicycle: WWII U.S. Army bicycles are among the rarest of vintage military vehicles around. Although the U.S. Army had bicycles for many years before WWII, none were standardized for procurement before 1942. The Army's official use for these bicycles were to "provide transportation for personnel engaged in dispatch or messenger service." Of course, they were used for many other purposes. They provided a fast and economical way to get around depots, camps and airfields.
The bicycle on display was first used at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio to transport personnel and deliver parts between the engineering shops and aircraft installation and modification hangers during the war years and beyond. After the war, many military bicycles remained in service (like the one on display here), most were scrapped or sold as surplus. By the 1950s, they had become as much a rarity as they are today.
This bicycle was sold at a government auction for scrap and was in very rough condition due to being abused by so many people riding it through the years. During restoration, four different colors of paint were removed over the original military olive drab. The bike was fitted with non-original parts and had severe damage to the frame and fenders along with missing accessories. Trying to locate the correct parts was a challenge and nearly every component on the bike needed extensive work. This particular WWII U.S. military bicycle is one of a few known to exist in the United States, along with a small number in Europe. The restoration took a year to complete.
There is a list of people he acknowledged who helped with the restoration.
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| 1890 Columbia Military Bicycle |
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| 1891 Columbia Light Roadster |
This Columbia would have been the soldier's standard bicycle. Advertised as "The only cycle used in regular military service in America. Made by the oldest, largest and best makers of bicycles in the United States."
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| 2008 Monocycle |
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| 1937 Flying Goose Tandem |
The Flying Goose was made to be used by an adult and a child.
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| Dicke Family Buggy |
Manufactured by Flint Wagon Works, Flint, Michigan in the late 1800s. The family lived on the original Dicke farm 1-1/2 miles north of New Bremen. It was used for transportation to town and to neighbors. It is a two seater with a convertible top. It was in storage for nearly 100 years in the granary on the original Dicke farm and restored by Dr. Thomas E. Dicke in 1998 at the Marion Sulkey Works in Marion, Ohio. This buggy is on loan by the family of Dr. Thomas E. Dicke of Indianapolis, Indiana, great grandson of the original owner.
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| Soap Box Derby |
The Soap Box Derby is a youth soapbox car racing program which has been run in the United States since 1934. World Championship finals are held each July at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio.
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| I found my name -- it's spelled right, too! |
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| 1890 Worthington Governess Tricycle |
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| 1936 Autocycle |
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| 1941 Schwinn Light Gear Paramount |
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| 1896 Quint |
And of course, we had some fun with a push pedal car:
Quote for the day: "Let me tell you what I think about bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women that anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance." ~~ Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)
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